Transparency, Oversight Lacking at $12 Billion Uranium Project

No oversight on UPF- “There have been increasing calls for the National Nuclear Security Administration and its contractors to be more open and transparent regarding operations at Y-12 and, more specifically, the multibillion-dollar Uranium Processing Facility,” writes Frank Knox for Atomic City Underground. “In recent months, the NNSA and B&W Y-12, succeeded in July by Consolidated Nuclear Security, have refused to release virtually any procurement information on UPF or provide specifics on how the government plans to revise the UPF design and construction plans.”

--“On Wednesday, the Project On Government Oversight, a watchdog group based in Washington, issued a news release about the lack of information on the UPF cost and scope. POGO also released a letter the group sent last month to leaders on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees raising questions about the project...Peter Stockton, long-time senior investigator at POGO, said ‘We’re very concerned that the NNSA is keeping the public in the dark about this questionable project. There has not been an updated cost estimate or timeline released to the public and there are still questions about what mission capabilities will be required of the proposed UPF.’” Read the full story here. http://bit.ly/1tE2Fht

EU ministers favor deal - “We urge the the EU3+3 countries and Iran to reach agreement on a comprehensive nuclear deal by the 24 November deadline,” write a panel of former high ranking E.U. ministers in The Guardian. “A deal is within reach – a deal that will peacefully and effectively address proliferation concerns of the EU3+3 over Iran’s nuclear programme, while respecting Iranian legitimate aspirations and sovereignty… Postponing the final tough decisions ahead is likely to provide more opportunities for those opposing the diplomatic track to spoil this process.”

--“Iran and the EU3+3 are closer than ever before to settling the nuclear file. The goals of non-proliferation, global and regional security, de-escalation of burning conflicts in the Middle East and the demonstrative effect of successful multilateral diplomacy in these troubled times will all significantly benefit if a good deal is achieved. All sides have the option to walk away from a nuclear deal but they will do so knowing that the alternatives are far worse when it comes to advancing their respective strategic interests and that there may never again be an opportunity as good as this one to seal a final nuclear deal.” Read the full column here. http://bit.ly/1vKQ8Ha

Obama on a deal - “Whether we can actually get a deal done, we’re going to have to find out over the next three to four weeks. We have presented to them a framework that would allow them to meet their peaceful energy needs. And if in fact what their leadership says, that they don’t want to develop a nuclear weapon, if that is in fact true, then they’ve got an avenue here to provide that assurance to the world community,” said President Obama in response to questions about getting an Iran deal.

--“What I want to do is see if in fact, we have a deal. If we do have a deal that I have confidence will prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and that we can convince the world and the public will prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, then, you know, it’ll be time to engage in Congress. And I think that we’ll be able to make a strong argument to Congress that this is the best way for us to avoid a nuclear Iran, that it will be more effective than any other alternatives we might take, including military action. But that requires it being a good deal. And I’ve said consistently that I’d rather have no deal than a bad deal. Because what we won’t want to do is lift sanctions and provide Iran legitimacy, but not have the verifiable mechanisms to make sure that they don’t break out and product a nuclear weapon.” Full transcript in The Washington Post. http://wapo.st/1uB7Bq7

“Get this done” - “Secretary of State John F. Kerry on Wednesday said it would be more difficult to reach a deal with Iran curbing its ability to build nuclear weapons if negotiations extend beyond a Nov. 24 deadline. ‘I want to get this done,’ Kerry said during a series of meetings in which the Iranian negotiations figured prominently. ‘And we are driving toward the finish with a view of trying to get it done.’ Kerry said Iran is entitled to develop its nuclear program for civilian, not military, use. ‘They have a right to a peaceful program but not a track to a bomb,’ Kerry said. ‘We believe it is pretty easy to prove to the world that a plan is peaceful.’” Read the full story by Carol Morello in The Washington Post. http://wapo.st/1x9hDgC

Tweet - @WinWithoutWar: Can Obama and the #GOP #Congress Seal an #Iran #Nuclear Deal? http://huff.to/1y99dFn @NIACouncil #Irantalksvienna

RSVP: Nyet - Russia will not be attending the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit in Washington DC, the Russian Ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, said on Wednesday. “We are not planning to attend the summit, not because we are not committed to non-proliferation... We do not see added value coming out of these meetings.” Rather than “preparing another big splash,” he said that Russia would prefer to focus its efforts on strengthening organizations such as the IAEA, “that have been created by all of us to deal with these issues.”

--“Withdrawal from the summit... is the latest thread in the unraveling of Russia’s relations with the West, particularly with the United States, in the wake of the ongoing Ukraine crisis. While Russia is willing to improve relations and continue cooperation on international issues such as terrorism and nuclear negotiations with Iran, he said, we are not going to beg for dialogue if our American partners do not want it.” Read the full story from Karen DeYoung in The Washington Post. http://wapo.st/1tL5gaX

Incoming - “U.S. strategic nuclear forces, both weapons and personnel, are experiencing serious problems that must be addressed urgently. That is a central conclusion of a new study called the ‘Nuclear Enterprise Review’ that the Pentagon is expected to release next week,” reports Bill Gertz in The Washington Times. http://bit.ly/1tLUUHF

Leaky pool - “A month after it was discovered that water was leaking from the reactor pool at the 60-year-old Oak Ridge Research Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, investigators have found the source of that leak. The next step will be determining whether to try to repair the leak or remove the radioactive metals stored there and draining the reactor pool of its 125,000 gallons of water.” Full story by Frank Knox for Atomic City Underground.http://bit.ly/1tE4bjz

Ball in Iran’s court - “France and the United States on Wednesday stepped up demands for Iran to prove that its nuclear program is peaceful — or risk scuttling the closest chance for a deal in years and losing a chance to ease crippling sanctions on Tehran's economy, reports Lara Jakes for the Associated Press. Read the full story here. http://abcn.ws/1qrsg9M

Report - “A New Approach to Resolve Military Aspects of Iran’s Nuclear Program” By David Albright and Olli Heinonen for ISIS. (pdf) http://bit.ly/1GtpWJH

Deal, but no ties please - “Iran may be ready to reach a nuclear deal with world powers to revive its economy,” but hardliners within the regime are “in no rush to go further by restoring relations with the United States,” write Parisa Hafezi and Mehrdad Balali for Reuters. “According to one official, hardline loyalists of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have reached a compromise with supporters of the pragmatic president.” Read the full story here. http://reut.rs/1ElqGyi

Tweet - @LobeLog: Direct US-#Iran banking channel could cement nuclear deal by @barbaraslavin1 http://bit.ly/1vOWh57

Quick Hits:

--“Dnepr launch from Yasnyy/Dombarovsky” by Pavel Podvig for Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces. http://bit.ly/1sjwX6h

--“Open Source Verification,” on the latest edition of the Arms Control Wonk podcast with Aaron Stein and Jeffrey Lewis. http://bit.ly/1tE1ezt

--“Belfer Iran Brief – Iran may ship uranium to Russia,” from Iran Matters at the Harvard-Belfer Center. http://bit.ly/1z2p5KX

Events:

--“Combatting Illegal Nuclear Trade” featuring Leonard Spector and Egle Murauskaiteat on November 7 from 10:00-11:45 a.m. at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. Located at 1400 K St. NW, Suite 1250, Washington DC. RSVP online. http://bit.ly/1x0rUed

--"Nuclear Policy in the 21st Century," featuring Rose Gottemoeller, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, 4:30-6:00 p.m., Nov. 7, University of New Hampshire Law School, 2 White St., Concord, NH. http://bit.ly/10RMbIW

--“The Impact & Implications of Iranian Nuclear Weapons on U.S. & Regional Security” featuring Robert Gallucci, Georgetown University on November 10 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Sponsored by Johns Hopkins University. Located at the Marriott Residence Inn Pentagon City, 550 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA. RSVP online. http://bit.ly/1tyAAc5

--“Prospects for a Nuclear Agreement with Iran," featuring Robert Litwak, Wilson Center; Mark Mazzetti, New York Times; and Jay Solomon, Wall Street Journal. Nov. 12 3:00-4:30 p.m.,Wilson Center, Sixth Floor, Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington. RSVP online http://bit.ly/1wYWRkI

--“Radioactive Knowledge: State Control of Scientific Information in Post-Soviet Kazakhstan," featuring Magdalena Stawkowski, Stanford University. Nov. 13, 3:30-5:00 p.m. Stanford University, CISAC Conference Room, Encina Hall Central, Second Floor, 616 Serra St., Palo Alto, CA. RSVP online. http://stanford.io/1wkOxf8

--“Eyes on North Korea: Threats from the Hermit Kingdom," featuring Mark Tokola, former deputy chief of mission, U.S. Embassy in South Korea; Bruce Klingner, former CIA deputy division chief for Korea; Fred Fleitz, former CIA analyst; and Bruce Bechtol, former senior intelligence analyst, Defense Intelligence Agency. Nov. 20, Noon-1:30 p.m., International Spy Museum, 800 F St. NW, Washington. Tickets are $12. http://bit.ly/1tMxkvw

--Friends Committee on National Legislation, annual meeting. Nov. 22-23. Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle NW, Washington, and on Capitol Hill. Register online. http://bit.ly/1zRq30A

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